Nov.3 (GMM/Inautonews.com) Ferrari this week asked a question to the FIA about championship contender Red Bullâ€™s car, according to the Spanish sports daily AS.

The report said Ferrari, whose Fernando Alonso is pushing to catch runaway title leader Sebastian Vettel, asked the governing body if Red Bull is allowed to use a system whereby it changes the fluid levels of two tanks between qualifying and the race.

â€śIt seems that this is one of the tricks (Adrian) Newey has used to improve the car,â€ť read the media report.

"There is speculation that an auxiliary oil tank forward in the Red Bull car is being used to move the weight distribution forward by pumping oil from the back to the front. If they did that, it would contravene the regulations but I don't believe they will be. The rules say that the teams have to ensure their cars comply at all times, and if they had that system the FIA would know about it. They will know whether there is a pump that moves oil from the back to the front, or the front to the back."

How could the FIA prove that Red Bull is guilty of this indiscretion if they did not catch the team in action?

BAR was running underweight and that's why they were disqualified. RBR are alleged to use fluid ballast to shift the weight balance between quali and race. I can't find anything in the Technical Regulations that would explicitly forbid a system like that - wouldn't expect this to be allowed though, because with the weight distribution being fixed for qualifying, it would be pretty much a no-brainer to use it.

But all i could find in the regs is that ballast needs to be "secured in such a way that tools are required for removal", which should be easy to do, and that "no substance may be added to the car during the race".

Yeah it's the weight distribution thing which impacts here, because I can't see the ballast rules impacting;

ARTICLE 4: WEIGHT4.1 Minimum weight:The weight of the car must not be less than 640kg at all times during the Event.If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be weighed on a set of dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.4.2 Weight distribution :For 2012 and 2013 only, the weight applied on the front and rear wheels must not be less than 291kg and 342kg respectively at all times during the qualifying practice session.If, when required for checking, a car is not already fitted with dry-weather tyres, it will be weighed on a setof dry-weather tyres selected by the FIA technical delegate.4.3 Weight of tyres :The weight limits specified in Articles 4.1 and 4.2 will be adjusted according to any differences (rounded up to the nearest 1kg) between the total set and individual axle set weights respectively of the 2010 and 2011 dry-weather tyres.4.4 Ballast:Ballast can be used provided it is secured in such a way that tools are required for its removal. It must be possible to fix seals if deemed necessary by the FIA technical delegate.4.5 Adding during the race:With the exception of compressed gases, no substance may be added to the car during the race. If it becomes necessary to replace any part of the car during the race, the new part must not weigh any more than the original part.

If they have been caught infringing the rules then the precedent is a two race suspension. I also think that Red Bull would be excluded from the championships. The FIA could not let a team caught cheating win thr WDC and WCC. It's all IF at the moment though.

If they have been caught infringing the rules then the precedent is a two race suspension. I also think that Red Bull would be excluded from the championships. The FIA could not let a team caught cheating win thr WDC and WCC. It's all IF at the moment though.

"There is speculation that an auxiliary oil tank forward in the Red Bull car is being used to move the weight distribution forward by pumping oil from the back to the front. If they did that, it would contravene the regulations but I don't believe they will be. The rules say that the teams have to ensure their cars comply at all times, and if they had that system the FIA would know about it. They will know whether there is a pump that moves oil from the back to the front, or the front to the back."

Sorry for the silly question, but has it been confirmed that Ferrari has asked the FIA for clarification?

I'm asking because in the original article in Diario As, they say Ferrari doesn't confirm nor denies the information and the author of the article is the loony that came out with the story of Grosjean squeezing Hamilton with a wall in Spa in order to take Alonso out on purpose and RĂ¤ikkĂ¶nen somehow making Alonso squeeze him out of track also in order to take him out on purpose. Of course the Lotus were doing it all to help Red Bull. Manuel Franco sometimes has good informations but his obsession with Red Bull and Vettel is so out of control that I've ended up questioning everything he writes, even when it's true (which may be the case now, I really don't know).

Sorry for the silly question, but has it been confirmed that Ferrari has asked the FIA for clarification?

I'm asking because in the original article in Diario As, they say Ferrari doesn't confirm nor denies the information and the author of the article is the loony that came out with the story of Grosjean squeezing Hamilton with a wall in Spa in order to take Alonso out on purpose and RĂ¤ikkĂ¶nen somehow making Alonso squeeze him out of track also in order to take him out on purpose. Of course the Lotus were doing it all to help Red Bull. Manuel Franco sometimes has good informations but his obsession with Red Bull and Vettel is so out of control that I've ended up questioning everything he writes, even when it's true (which may be the case now, I really don't know).

Yeah, it was Ferrari but it was not aimed at RB or any other team, just a clarification:

Er, surely there is no ambiguity in "the qualifying practice session"? Every session before the race is a practice session, "the qualifying practice session" is "qualifying".

Ok - see your point. But still no mention about the 'Race' - so in theory they can shift the weight distribution in the race then, car could be complying to the weight distribution for qualy and then free to adjust once the race gets underway...

Ok - see your point. But still no mention about the 'Race' - so in theory they can shift the weight distribution in the race then, car could be complying to the weight distribution for qualy and then free to adjust once the race gets underway...

Ok - see your point. But still no mention about the 'Race' - so in theory they can shift the weight distribution in the race then, car could be complying to the weight distribution for qualy and then free to adjust once the race gets underway...